AgroFresh Solutions has announced the appointment of Ivan Van Dessel as new business development manager for the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Van Dessel will support the group’s customers in the rollout of its RipeLock Quality System to enhance their banana category performance, the company said in a media statement.

AgroFresh has already established a name for its SmartFresh Quality System, a freshness protection technology that maintains the firmness, texture and appearance of fruits during storage and transportation. The flagship product is commercialised in 46 countries worldwide.

Now the group is driving the development of its RipeLock Quality System, which is billed as a breakthrough for the banana business, offering greater flexibility and consistency for brand owners, wholesalers, ripeners, retailers and consumers. The system helps bananas to retain their bright-yellow colour, fresh taste and appealing look for longer than bananas handled through traditional systems, according to the company.

“We are thrilled to have Ivan join our team,” said Andre Vink, RipeLock platform leader for AgroFresh Solutions. “Having someone with Ivan’s experience in the banana industry on staff is further evidence of our ongoing commitment to bring added value for all key players within the banana market.”

AgroFresh said the combination of a precisely engineered RipeLock Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) bag with a special 1-MCP formulation from AgroFresh make the RipeLock Quality System “revolutionary and unique within current banana practices”.

Already registered for use in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, the US and Canada, the RipeLock Quality System recently received registration in France and Italy and is still expanding to other markets; Germany and Austria will follow in the first quarter of 2016.

“I am truly excited to be working with a group of people who are so motivated to help their customers achieve success,” said Van Dessel. “RipeLock is an excellent product and I will be proud to represent the company as we help customers use this technology to help increase flexibility up and down the value chain.”

Van Dessel, who has a background in business management/marketing, joins AgroFresh from Heinz Foodservice Belgium, where he served as activity manager and new product development manager. Prior to that, he worked at Chiquita Company where he fulfilled various positions within the areas of Quality and Innovation.

In addition to developing close customer relationships, Van Dessel will be managing numerous trials that will be used to demonstrate the value of the RipeLock Quality System to retailers and consumers, said AgroFresh.